William whaeton



(No Model.) W. WHARTON, Jr.

GROSS TIE.

Patented Mar. 8, 1887.

20 chair at one end of the tie.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM \VHARTON, Ja, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM WHARTON, Jn, & oo., LIMITE or sAME PLAoE.

CROSS-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,115, dated March 8, 1887.

Application filed November 9, 1886. Serial No. 218,383. (No model.)

Improvements in Cross-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to so construct a metallic cross-tie as to provide a firm and secure support for the rails of a railwaytrack, and at the same time provide a convenient and accurate means for adjusting and maintaining the rails at their proper gage.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of a cross-tie provided with my im- 1 provements, and showing the rails in section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the rails partly in section. Fig. 3 is aperspective view drawn to an enlarged scale, showing the manner of securing the rail in the Fig. 4 is a view in plan (with the rail in section) of a modification, and Fig. 5 is a side view illustrating my invention in a modified form.

The form of cross-tie which Ihaveillustrated 2 5 in the drawings is composed, essentially, of an inverted T-bar, A, uniting the chairs B B at opposite ends; but other forms of cross-ties may be used in carrying out my invention. I have in this instance shown the chairs and crossties as all made in one piece, the portions 5 the chair a central web, which, in effect, is a continuation of the web of the T-bar. The tops of the chairs have undercut grooves for the reception of the rails D, which in the present instance I have shown with tapered bases (l. The grooves in the chairs are in this in stance shown as of a dovetailed form, corresponding with the tapered bases of the rails.

Slight variations in the precise distances apart of the chairs will occur in diiierent ties,

whether the latter, with its chairs, be made in one piece or of several parts. If the tie and its chairs are made in one piece, the variations will occur from difference of shrinkage in the cooling of the different castings, while If the chairs and ties are made in separate parts it is very difficult to make and fit them precisely alike, so as to have the rails of a uniform gage apart. I overcome this difliculty in a simple, convenient, and effective manner by the employment of wedges e e on the sides of the rail, as shown in the drawings.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the two wedges of a chair are arranged to be driven in from opposite directions, and for this purpose the walls of the groove in each chair are arranged at an angle to the line of the rail, but parallel, or nearly so, with each other, so that by driving one wedge in a little farther than the other the rails may be adjusted to the proper distance apart and held firmly thereto.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the groove in the chair is constructed of a tapering form, so as to be adapted to allow the wedges on the opposite sides of the chair to be driven in from the same direction.

It is not necessary that the rails in both the chairs of a tie shall be provided with wedges on both sides. For instance, in the modification, Fig. 5,1 have shown the adj ustingwedges e e in one chair only, while the rail in the chair at the opposite end of the tie is provided with one securingwedge, (2, only, the base of that rail on its opposite side being in contact with one of the walls of the groove in the chair. In such case, of course, that wall of the groove against which the base of the chair bears is formed parallel with the line of the rail instead of at an angle thereto, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4.

Vhen the tie is in the form of an inverted T-bar, as shown, the web of the tie serves to brace and stiffen the channel-bars which carry the rails, while owing to the flat base of the tie the latter rests firmly upon the foundation, and no difficulty is experienced in ballasting the track, as in those cases in which the T- bar is not inverted, or in which the tie-bar is in the form of an inverted V- bar, as in such cases the ballast must be packed in the ho]- lows on the under side of the tie-an Operation requiring the exercise of considerable care in its proper performance.

I claim as my invention- In testimony whereof I have signed my name 10 1. The combination of a cross-tie and chairs to this specification in the presence of two subwith railway-rails having adj usting-wedges on scribing witnesses. both sides of one or both rails to secure them in their chairs, substantially as set forth.

2. A railway cross-tie composed of an inverted T- bar, in combination with chairs formed of channel-bars at right angles to the cross-tie, substantially as set forth.

\VILLIAM WVHARTON, JR.

VVi t n esses:

HENRY HowsoN, HARRY SMITH. 

